Random Thoughts That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread Go Here

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by rowech

I have taught high school math for 14 years now. Some days, the thought of another 21 years, makes me want to puke.

This is one of those wordy math questions, isn't it? I'm not finding X and I don't care when that train from Chicago will reach St. Louis.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by rowech

I have taught high school math for 14 years now. Some days, the thought of another 21 years, makes me want to puke.

Clearly you don't have any friends who are HS English teachers.

*rimshot*

[terpkristin]

I wonder if this can be considered an act of aggression... KFC Becomes First U.S. Fast Food Chain To Enter Palestinian Territories - The Consumerist

/tk

[Matthean]

Oops.

Tweeter Exposes ESPN's Public Option to Complain About Women on TV

[britrock88]

Someone let me know when I can start reading the college basketball thread again.

- UNC '09/'12

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Oops.

Tweeter Exposes ESPN's Public Option to Complain About Women on TV

“I was really shocked about it and upset because I’m a female sportswriter, so it’s like one of my dreams to be a sideline reporter — and to see there was a specific area to comment against female reporters was upsetting,” Soisson told Mashable in an interview.

She sounds, like, she'll be, y'know, perfect and stuff for ESPN

[Ksyrup]

That's funny, I hadn't seen that. I guess women are clueless about these things, so her response isn't a shock, but I hear that from people all the time, how they can't stand hearing Pam Ward call a football game. The truth of it is, they probably got so many routine complaints about it that they just added it as a drop down of likely complaints.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Didn't really know where to post this

One town over from me, Pittsburgh suburbs. My sister teaches K in the district. Classy

Brentwood finds no truth to racial slurs

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

She sounds, like, she'll be, y'know, perfect and stuff for ESPN

That's on the reporter though, including that "like". I transcribe for a living and everybody, everybody uses garbage filler words like that. If the reporter wants them to come off sounding intelligent, they filter them out. If they want to make them look stupid they leave them in.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Autumn

That's on the reporter though, including that "like". I transcribe for a living and everybody, everybody uses garbage filler words like that. If the reporter wants them to come off sounding intelligent, they filter them out. If they want to make them look stupid they leave them in.

Yeah I get that. I almost wonder if it was intentional, given the subject.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Softballs to the mouth hurt.

I took a pitch to the face Sunday night during pitching practice. I freaking hate practicing indoors. We had 3 cages, 4 girls. My daughter got paired up with a young 10U girl just learning to pitch. She kept throwing across her body to the right of her dad, where I was sitting. On one pitch, it came straight at me just as my daughter was letting loose and I took Caitlin's pitch square on the right side of my mouth. Thank God I didn't lose any teeth. Ended up in ER and look horrible right now (especially coming back from a week in Vegas - co-workers got a chuckle out of that). I ended up chewing off a bit of the inside of my lower lip because it was flapping and causing some pain.

Not too excited to get back in the cage, I must say.

I took one off the shoulder this past weekend. My daughter's lessons are in an open area in a sports performance place. There are at most 4 girls pitching at the same time and there's no netting between the girls. My daughter is only 9 and still learning how to pitch so she can't through it too hard yet.

There was a 16 year old next to us that threw one wild and it took a weird bounce right at my head, so I caught that one while my daughter's pitch bounced off my shoulder. I have a nice little bruise today.

I think it is only a matter of time before someone eats a bad one at this place.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Yeah I get that. I almost wonder if it was intentional, given the subject.

I think without a doubt, it was intentional in that case.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I took one off the shoulder this past weekend. My daughter's lessons are in an open area in a sports performance place. There are at most 4 girls pitching at the same time and there's no netting between the girls. My daughter is only 9 and still learning how to pitch so she can't through it too hard yet.

There was a 16 year old next to us that threw one wild and it took a weird bounce right at my head, so I caught that one while my daughter's pitch bounced off my shoulder. I have a nice little bruise today.

I think it is only a matter of time before someone eats a bad one at this place.

Mine is basically gone, except now I have a small - I think permanent - knot just behind my lip. You can't really see it if you're looking at me, but I can feel it. Once all the swelling went away, it remained. And it's still there, several weeks later. Any time I do something to run my lip over my teeth (say, washing my face where I'm rubbing my hands across my face), I can feel it, and it hurts a bit. I've also got one on the bottom lip, but it's deeper and out of the way and I can only feel it if I touch it with my tongue.

I can't wait to get back outside. She throws hard enough (we clocked her with a gun at our tournament 2 weeks ago at 52-55) that I will probably need to graduate from a single ankle protector on my left foot (like batters wear) to catchers leg gear, but I'm not ready to wear a facemask. But next winter, I might. I trust her, and I trust my ability to catch, but I can't control everyone else.

I'll tell you what sucks more than anything - a dropball. Especially when they are just learning it, and you're inside. Not only is the pitch meant to be thrown low, but usually they overthrow it to where it bounces in front of you, and the spin for the pitch is basically top spin, and it's thrown like a fastball, so you've got a hard, low, bouncing, forward-spinning pitch hitting concrete-like surfaces that you're trying to catch. The day before I took the shot to the mouth, Caitlin threw a dropball that bounced in front of me and literally raced up my arm/chest and smacked me in the jaw like it was a laser-guided missle.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by britrock88

Someone let me know when I can start reading the college basketball thread again.

- UNC '09/'12

Could be worse. You could be a UCLA fan, like me.

I feel like how Indiana fans must have felt a few years ago, except we don't have a handy RKelvin Sampson excuse going for us.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Mine is basically gone, except now I have a small - I think permanent - knot just behind my lip. You can't really see it if you're looking at me, but I can feel it. Once all the swelling went away, it remained. And it's still there, several weeks later. Any time I do something to run my lip over my teeth (say, washing my face where I'm rubbing my hands across my face), I can feel it, and it hurts a bit. I've also got one on the bottom lip, but it's deeper and out of the way and I can only feel it if I touch it with my tongue.

I can't wait to get back outside. She throws hard enough (we clocked her with a gun at our tournament 2 weeks ago at 52-55) that I will probably need to graduate from a single ankle protector on my left foot (like batters wear) to catchers leg gear, but I'm not ready to wear a facemask. But next winter, I might. I trust her, and I trust my ability to catch, but I can't control everyone else.

I'll tell you what sucks more than anything - a dropball. Especially when they are just learning it, and you're inside. Not only is the pitch meant to be thrown low, but usually they overthrow it to where it bounces in front of you, and the spin for the pitch is basically top spin, and it's thrown like a fastball, so you've got a hard, low, bouncing, forward-spinning pitch hitting concrete-like surfaces that you're trying to catch. The day before I took the shot to the mouth, Caitlin threw a dropball that bounced in front of me and literally raced up my arm/chest and smacked me in the jaw like it was a laser-guided missle.

You should just invest in full catcher's gear.

[spleen1015]

I look forward to having to buy a catcher's mitt so that I can catch my daughter's pitches. I don't think I'll end up wearing anything other than catcher shin guards when she gets old enough.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I look forward to having to buy a catcher's mitt so that I can catch my daughter's pitches. I don't think I'll end up wearing anything other than catcher shin guards when she gets old enough.

Not even a cup or mask?

[Ksyrup]

I have yet to invest in a catcher's mitt - mainly because I'm left handed and they are expensive - but I've got a 1st basemen's glove and it's not doing the job it used to do. Especially right now when it's cold. My hand will be numb or sting for 30 minutes after a session. I definitely need more padding.

I've never come close to needing a cup (I catch, like most dads, sitting on a bucket - Lord help me if I tried to crouch down for even 10 minutes!). I'm not too scared of getting hit in the face if just she and I are pitching, it's only when others are around that I'll now be a helluva lot more nervous. So I might get a mask for next winter, but once we get outside shortly, that won't (shouldn't) be a problem.

[spleen1015]

Since there's not a batter involved, I don't think much protection is needed. I don't even know if I will go with shin guards. I just see the other folks catching with them.

I played firstbase as a kid and as in adult playing slow pitch softball. I'm not worried about my ability to catch her pitches. Jennie Finch throws in the high 60s, so I think I can handle my daughter. If not, then we'll see.

[JediKooter]

Hehe. Wait until she skips a few off the ground in front of home plate.

[Ksyrup]

Dude, my left ankle has been beat to shit. I've now got a permanent knot between the shin and ankle (the hardest pitches for me to catch as a lefty are the low and inside to a RHer - those are the ones that catch my ankle). Seriously, there's nothing worse than a dropball. I fucking HATE catching that pitch.

[Matthean]

The 2-2 Pitch...: ESPN churns the gossip mill

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Could be worse. You could be a UCLA fan, like me.

I feel like how Indiana fans must have felt a few years ago, except we don't have a handy RKelvin Sampson excuse going for us.

Fair. Although, my myopic perspective makes me wonder if the last 2.5 minutes of last night's game will set us back 5 or 10 years.

(In reality, I'm just expecting we'll make up for this by winning in Cameron.)

[britrock88]

Also, I admit that KenPom's win probability graph from the game is pretty hilarious.

wprob.jpg

PS: where's the defense?

[sterlingice]

Reminds me of the fangraphs charts

SI

[Ksyrup]

This probably underscores the ridiculousness of sports coverage in the year 2012:

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey regrets letting go of New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin.

"We should have kept (Jeremy Lin). Did not know he was this good," Morey wrote on his official Twitter account on Thursday. "Anyone who says they knew misleading U."

In a separate tweet, Morey praised Lin, writing "Finally, really happy for (Lin). Very hard working, nice, & humble. He has a great, great future."

Lin has surprised many talent evaluators with his play in the Knicks' past three games.

STOP THE FUCKING PRESSES!!! SOMEONE PLAYED REALLY WELL IN 3 STRAIGHT GAMES!!! And his old boss is happy for him. How sweet.

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by britrock88

Someone let me know when I can start reading the college basketball thread again.

- UNC '09/'12

I just looked through that thread and everything looked fine to me.

- Duke '88/'91

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by britrock88

Also, I admit that KenPom's win probability graph from the game is pretty hilarious.

Attachment 3764

PS: where's the defense?

Why does North Carolina have a 65% chance to win at the beginning of the game?

[RainMaker]

The Verizon Wireless website is a tragedy. I can't imagine a big company like that in the tech industry building something so bloated, confusing, and slow.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Why does North Carolina have a 65% chance to win at the beginning of the game?

Note: initial state based on current ratings and will fluctuate as season progresses.

[terpkristin]

FWIW, I mostly hate it when they have women doing sideline reporting and on ESPN.

The women rarely seem knowledgeable and feel like they're there as the token female. But I mute TV announcers so it works out OK.

/tk

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The Verizon Wireless website is a tragedy. I can't imagine a big company like that in the tech industry building something so bloated, confusing, and slow.

AT&T's terrible, too. It is slow as hell and it is hard to find what you're looking for.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by mckerney

Note: initial state based on current ratings and will fluctuate as season progresses.

Being at home probably builds in a decent edge, too

SI

[booradley]

Damn, but there's SO much good new music out there ... you may have to dig for it, but there are treasures for all tastes to be had. Lovin' it ...

[Scoobz0202]

I just went to my main site for viewing online streams of sports and got the big federal notice picture..

/firstworldproblems

edit: just had to change the extension. yay

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I just went to my main site for viewing online streams of sports and got the big federal notice picture..

/firstworldproblems

edit: just had to change the extension. yay

Oh, I have been watching UFC off of chanfeed

[SackAttack]

There's some serious temporal and cultural whiplash going on when the top story on the Yahoo! NHL feed is 'Canada could support two more NHL teams.'

It wasn't THAT long ago I was in high school and the sky was falling for Canadian sports teams.

[Suicane75]

Just bought a Nintendo for $60 and then found out they sell these all in one NES, SNES, Genesis systems for the same price. Eff me.

[sabotai]

Just tried juicing for the first time. I think I'm starting to feel the steroids start to....oh wait, not that kind of juicing....

Seems like a waste a money, really. Even fruits that you'd think would give a lot of juice didn't seem to give any. I swiped my parent's juicer so it didn't cost me any money upfront, but I'm going to try a few things. One is making my own lemonade. The recipes for it call for a lot of water an sugar (I'll use stevia or Z-Sweet for that part). A few lemons that cost $1 might make a pitcher of lemonade. Seems like a good deal, but wonder if it'll be worth the effort.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Just bought a Nintendo for $60 and then found out they sell these all in one NES, SNES, Genesis systems for the same price. Eff me.

Did you at least get a toploader NES? That'll put you ahead of the game.

Some of those all-in-one systems have real problems with emulating the more advanced games (SMB3, Star Fox, etc)

SI

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by sabotai

Just tried juicing for the first time. I think I'm starting to feel the steroids start to....oh wait, not that kind of juicing....

Seems like a waste a money, really. Even fruits that you'd think would give a lot of juice didn't seem to give any. I swiped my parent's juicer so it didn't cost me any money upfront, but I'm going to try a few things. One is making my own lemonade. The recipes for it call for a lot of water an sugar (I'll use stevia or Z-Sweet for that part). A few lemons that cost $1 might make a pitcher of lemonade. Seems like a good deal, but wonder if it'll be worth the effort.

Grab a good blender like Blendtec. It doesn't throw out all the good crap and you can make some incredible smoothies.

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by britrock88

Someone let me know when I can start reading the college basketball thread again.

- UNC '09/'12

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Could be worse. You could be a UCLA fan, like me.

I feel like how Indiana fans must have felt a few years ago, except we don't have a handy RKelvin Sampson excuse going for us.

Meh. Try putting your program nearly on the death penalty for about five years (not NCAA mandated, but self-inflicted, at that), follow it up with a decently mediocre coach who does just enough to not get fired for 10 years (tearing the fanbase to shreds in the process), then follow that up with a swell alum who couldn't coach the college game to save his life for five years. Throw in a pair of really crappy athletic directors over that time period, as well.

I can't even remember the last time NC State was 7-3 in conference play and that's only because the ACC is lousy this year and expansion killed the balanced schedule.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by booradley

Damn, but there's SO much good new music out there ... you may have to dig for it, but there are treasures for all tastes to be had. Lovin' it ...

LOL ... since I just finished bitching on my FB status about the steaming piles of rock singles over the past 2-3 weeks.

For every recent gem (like Halestorm) there's some spectacularly bad crap, including this week's four single releases from 12 Stones (whose last single I liked), Middle Class Rut (whose last single I liked), Dead Letter Circus, and Civil Twilight.

[ColtCrazy]

Okay, random grammar question for the day. It's in an old workbook I have which doesn't have an answer key. Normally, it's no big deal. But this one makes me wonder because what I think is correct doesn't sound right.


The sentence is: Mike let _____________ taste the food.

The answer choices include the subject pronouns, she and I, and also the object pronouns, her and me.

The verb would be let, so I'm assuming her and me are correct grammatically, but it doesn't sound right but that may just be because the word taste is right after that. Thoughts?

[MJ4H]

Her and me seems pretty obvious from here.

[ColtCrazy]

It does now that I've typed it out. The last two days at work have been hectic, so I'm second guessing myself! Need to remember what I tell the kids, go with your first instinct. Thanks

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

Thoughts?

us

[britrock88]

Just turned down a job offer for August-to-August. I feel like a crazy person.

[MacroGuru]

The worst part of what I am dealing with...feeling like I am buzzed all the time (dizzy)

The best part of what I am dealing with...that buzzed feeling is making it so I don't eat a lot...instant diet.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by britrock88

Just turned down a job offer for August-to-August. I feel like a crazy person.

I turned down a job to come to Houston last week to be reunited with my wife. Unfortunately, it just wasn't a good fit

SI